2018 T@B S basic - starting 1st vacation trip

ericnliz

@Roamey, Thanks for sharing, and giving a good perspective!

nckoala

Roamey said:

Someone just walked by and said we live in the canned ham camper. 

Roamey said:

Our first time at Walmart camping - yuck!  However we did make some purchases. First "zombie" stopped while driving by in his car and talked from his window while I was sitting at the table window talking back. He was surprised it had more than beds in it. 

ericnliz

Hmmm, Did 'ya have a key stick???

Ratkity

I thought I needed some more meds, dere.

Verna

Poof!

ericnliz

@xbooooo, The last one is great! No caption required!

rkj__

Great thread.  Thanks for sharing the adventure with us.

ericnliz

Or the 'roll-back' convertible model!

Roamey

Now the key only comes on the new pop top T@B
(sorry the thread got messed up)

RollingBnB

Roamey said:

Hi,

  We are a retired couple taking our first vacation trip in our 2018 T@B basic 320 S, tow vehicle 2012 Frontier, V6, 6 spd manual. It was delivered late to the PA dealer, so we took delivery and then started out to Banff National Park the next morning. We really like the large, airy windows and the table design is pure genius. The U-shaped seating is wonderful. Another couple with a larger camper liked our seats much better. We really want to like it, but the gas refrigerator going out while driving is a major problem. I probably wouldn't have purchased it if I had known. 
  Refrigerator update - I was thinking that diffusing the air to the gas flame like the old tin candle lanterns with the small punched holes might help. At the next Walmart, we stopped and I got some metal screening material. I cut out a piece to fit behind the vent. 



  It didn't work.
  Next we stopped at a hardware store and I got some duct tape and put one strip on the vent to shield the flame. We have since driven through plains where high wind warning signs are posted, driving around 60 mph. I had to pass a double tanker truck on a two lane highway and reached 80 mph. It has now been four days without the gas refrigerator going out, problem solved?



  We drove from Canada to Montana to Massachusetts without the refrigerator gas going out. It's now official, we like our T@B!  

  I have to update this three months later - on a one day drive, at two consecutive stops for gas, the refrigerator propane was out and food temperature was in fifties. Problem is unresolved and refrigerator remains unreliable.   This is a big problem for me and our enjoyment of the T@B. 

How we are using the limited space:
  We keep the silverware in a little tool box. 





  The storage under the dinnette seat became the pantry for canned, bottled, boxed, and packaged foods. When opened they went into the refrigerator or cupboard under the sink. The bed slats I moved under the couch cushion where they are actually easier to retrieve. Our clothes go under the sofa seat and tools and hoses, etc., go in tow vehicle. 







  We didn't raise the sofa back each day, so this is my reading chaise lounge with feet up on the dinnette seat. These seating options are what make the T@B unique in my opinion. 



Then at night we slide out the dinnette seat cushions, unroll the sleeping bags, and we're good to go. 

@Roamey , any luck with the fridge on propane? I'm trying some different ideas

Roamey

 @RollingBnB, I tried @dalehelmans suggestion of putting an air filter in the vent to cut down the air flow. On the two day return trip home I had no problem, but that wasn't much of a test. I'm hopeful that it will be the solution. 

RollingBnB

@Roamey I tried that, no luck. Now I built a shield around the burner with an old license plate and blocked off the front half of the lower door. Next trip won't be until T@bazona.

Roamey

@RollingBnB, that's discouraging!  It's very erratic. I drove 3,000 miles without a problem, then next trip it went out twice in one day. Don't know if I will be using T@B anymore. Hope your latest "fix" works. 

Hops

@RollingBnB I am reading this and wondering. Do you mean you are trying leave the propane gas on while driving? Mine I just switch to DC while driving.

RollingBnB

Hops said:

@RollingBnB I am reading this and wondering. Do you mean you are trying leave the propane gas on while driving? Mine I just switch to DC while driving.

I just rewired the 12v to the frig so haven't tried that yet. Next trip end of Dec will try both fixes.

ScottG

@Hops, many of us have found that our vehicle generators don't quite keep up with the demands of running the fridge on DC. This causes the T@B battery to try to make up the difference, and as a result it may lose charge in transit. If you are dry camping, this is potentially problematic as you arrive in camp with a battery that is no longer fully charged.

I rarely use the DC function, and get by with packing the fridge with ice before departure. This effectively makes it a simple cooler, and the ice comes in handy when happy hour rolls around.  ;-)

Others have gotten around the problem by running the fridge on propane during transit. YMMV.